1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electronic flashlight device mounted on a folding type camera adapted to be folded compact.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In cameras such as instant cameras wherein large films are used and the distance between the lens and the film face must be adjusted comparatively long, a need exists for adapting the cameras to be folded so that the lens mounting section comes close to the film face and the cameras can be carried easily. Therefore, various folding configurations have heretofore been employed for the instant cameras. However, in the conventional folding type cameras, a part thereof projects outwardly even in the folded condition. Thus the conventional folding type cameras are inconvenient for carrying, for example, in a thin bag.
Accordingly, in a co-pending U.S. Patent Application, the applicant proposed a folding type camera comprising:
(i) a front cover which is fabricated of a front plate standing face to face with an opening in a front face of a camera body and a pair of side plates joined respectively with side end portions of said front plate, and which is supported on the camera body for swinging around a swing shaft positioned in parallel with a film supporting face of the camera body in the vicinity of end portions of said side plates,
(ii) rotatable levers each having one end portion supported on the camera body for rotation around a rotation shaft parallel with said swing shaft, and an engagement boss positioned near the other end portion for engagement with a guide groove in each of said side plates so that, as said front cover is swung, said rotatable levers are rotated and said engagement bosses enter introducing portions at end portions of said guide grooves, thereby maintaining said front cover in a predetermined swung position (photograph taking position) where said opening is opened,
(iii) slide members supported for sliding along said side plates in the direction approximately normal to said swing shaft and engaged with the vicinity of the other end portions of said rotatable levers so that, when said front cover is swung to said predetermined swung position, said slide members are pushed by said rotatable levers moving in engagement with said front cover and are slid away from said swing shaft,
(iv) slide member locking mechanisms for locking said slide members at predetermined slid positions when said front cover is swung up to said predetermined swung position, and
(v) a shutter board for supporting a photograph taking lens, said shutter board being supported at front end portions of said slide members for rotation around a rotation shaft parallel with said swing shaft so that, when said front cover is opened up to said photograph taking position, said shutter board is rotated to a rotated position where said photograph taking lens becomes parallel to the film supporting face of the camera body.
When the front cover is swung to close the opening in the front face of the camera body, the slide members are slid toward the swing shaft side (i.e. the base end side) of the front cover along the side plates thereof. At this time, the shutter board supported at the front end portions of the slide members are rotated to a rotated position where the shutter board is approximately parallel with the front cover. As the slide members are slid toward the base end side of the front cover, the shutter board is pulled by the slide members and is slid to the inside of the front cover. Accordingly, after the front cover is closed, nothing projects outwardly of the front cover. Thus the camera is folded into an almost flat shape.
In order to incorporate an electronic flashlight tube in the folding type camera as described above such that the camera be compact, a cutaway portion should preferably be positioned near the base end portion of the front cover for incorporating the electronic flashlight tube therein. However, in the case where the electronic flashlight tube is positioned near the base end portion of the front cover with the light emission face thereof facing front, the electronic flashlight tube projects outwardly of the front cover when the front cover is closed, and the advantage of the folding type camera is lost. When a popping-up configuration as used heretofore in the electronic flashlight device of the type incorporated in the camera is employed, it is possible to house the electronic flashlight tube inside of the front cover when the camera is folded. In this case, however, complicated camera operations are required.